NO LOCKDOWN CAN STOP ME!
After the first amazing month here in Thessaloniki volunteering with ARSIS the Covid-19 virus situation started to get worst and worst….and the lockdown was stated!
The lockdown began officially on November the 2nd, and there are rumors that it will probably be extended beyond November 30th, a date initially set for its end. When our lovely coordinator gave us the news, the situation left me embittered but, above all, scared.
I felt fear for my health, the health of the people around me, the health of all the boys and girls with whom I work, I felt the fear thinking about my family in Italy from which I am far away. A lot of questions came to my mind: how to proceed with our ESC project? What to do during the whole entire days completely at home? How to let the time pass without feeling the anxiety?
Almost when I was feeling overwhelmed with thoughts, my extremely positive and resilient nature didn’t allow me to be discouraged!
In fact, after a first moment of panic and anxiety, I started thinking about how to take advantage of this new lockdown period. My first thought immediately ran to the guys I followed at the House of Arsis: who knows what a state of worry and confusion they must have been in too!! I remembered I am here for them, to support them and to help them in every possible way, and there are a lot of ways in which we can help people in 2020.
How could I continue in the activities I had started with them, with so much enthusiasm?? Using the power of internet, of course! I decided to propose to my coordinator this such an easy idea: keep on doing English and French classes online. The idea has been enthusiastically received by my students too, and so we started the online lessons. The difficulties are certainly not few: the internet connection that comes and goes, the difficulty of motivating these vulnerable young people without being able to see them in person…But the moments together online are always precious!
Another challenge of this period is certainly that of not being free to go out and fully enjoy this wonderful city, even if I do not deprive myself of a daily walk by the sea. Thanks to the constantly support of our coordinator, I feel safe here, following all the rules provided by the Greek authorities. Moreover, I am fortunately surrounded by my wonderful flatmates: this lockdown is giving us the chance to spend time together, to better know each other, to learn Greek also together and, why not, to do some “home activities” together like pilates and yoga classes!
I feel so grateful to be safe and active to support vulnerable people also during this difficult time. I can definitely say that my quote of the month is: “No lockdown can stop me!”
Stay safe.
Ilaria Moioli – ESC Volunteer (Sep. 2020 – May 2021)
